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19-12-2023 - 11:45
20230601STO93804

EU AI Act: first regulation on artificial intelligence

The use of artificial intelligence in the EU will be regulated by the AI Act, the world’s first
comprehensive AI law. Find out how it will protect you.

This illustration of artificial intelligence has in fact been generated by AI

As part of its digital strategy, the EU wants to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure better
conditions for the development and use of this innovative technology. AI can create many
benefits, such as better healthcare; safer and cleaner transport; more efficient manufacturing;
and cheaper and more sustainable energy.

In April 2021, the European Commission proposed the first EU regulatory framework for AI. It
says that AI systems that can be used in different applications are analysed and classified
according to the risk they pose to users. The different risk levels will mean more or less
regulation.

EN Directorate General for Communication

European Parliament - Spokesperson: Jaume Duch Guillot
Contact: webmaster@europarl.eu
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Learn more about what artificial intelligence is and how it is used

What Parliament wants in AI legislation

Parliament's priority is to make sure that AI systems used in the EU are safe, transparent,
traceable, non-discriminatory and environmentally friendly. AI systems should be overseen by
people, rather than by automation, to prevent harmful outcomes.

Parliament also wants to establish a technology-neutral, uniform definition for AI that could be
applied to future AI systems.

Learn more about Parliament’s work on AIand its vision for AI’s future

AI Act: different rules for different risk levels

The new rules establish obligations for providers and users depending on the level of risk from
artificial intelligence. While many AI systems pose minimal risk, they need to be assessed.

Unacceptable risk
Unacceptable risk AI systems are systems considered a threat to people and will be banned.
They include:

• Cognitive behavioural manipulation of people or specific vulnerable groups: for

example voice-activated toys that encourage dangerous behaviour in children
• Social scoring: classifying people based on behaviour, socio-economic status or
personal characteristics
• Biometric identification and categorisation of people
• Real-time and remote biometric identification systems, such as facial recognition

Some exceptions may be allowed for law enforcement purposes. “Real-time” remote biometric
identification systems will be allowed in a limited number of serious cases, while “post” remote
biometric identification systems, where identification occurs after a significant delay, will be
allowed to prosecute serious crimes and only after court approval.

High risk

AI systems that negatively affect safety or fundamental rights will be considered high risk and
will be divided into two categories:

1) AI systems that are used in products falling under the EU’s product safety legislation. This
includes toys, aviation, cars, medical devices and lifts.

EN Directorate General for Communication

European Parliament - Spokesperson: Jaume Duch Guillot
Contact: webmaster@europarl.eu
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2) AI systems falling into specific areas that will have to be registered in an EU database:

• Management and operation of critical infrastructure

• Education and vocational training
• Employment, worker management and access to self-employment
• Access to and enjoyment of essential private services and public services and
benefits
• Law enforcement
• Migration, asylum and border control management
• Assistance in legal interpretation and application of the law.

All high-risk AI systems will be assessed before being put on the market and also throughout
their lifecycle. People will have the right to file complaints about AI systems to designated
national authorities.

Transparency requirements
Generative AI, like ChatGPT, will not be classified as high-risk, but will have to comply with
transparency requirements and EU copyright law:

• Disclosing that the content was generated by AI

• Designing the model to prevent it from generating illegal content
• Publishing summaries of copyrighted data used for training

High-impact general-purpose AI models that might pose systemic risk, such as the more
advanced AI model GPT-4, would have to undergo thorough evaluations and any serious
incidents would have to be reported to the European Commission.

Content that is either generated or modified with the help of AI - images, audio or video files (for
example deepfakes) - need to be clearly labelled as AI generated so that users are aware when
they come across such content.

Supporting innovation
The law aims to offer start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises opportunities to
develop and train AI models before their release to the general public.

That is why it requires that national authorities provide companies with a testing environment

EN Directorate General for Communication

European Parliament - Spokesperson: Jaume Duch Guillot
Contact: webmaster@europarl.eu
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that simulates conditions close to the real world.

Next steps
The agreed text is expected to be finally adopted in April 2024. It will be fully applicable 24
months after entry into force, but some parts will be applicable sooner:

• The ban of AI systems posing unacceptable risks will apply six months after the entry
into force
• Codes of practice will apply nine months after entry into force
• Rules on general-purpose AI systems that need to comply with transparency
requirements will apply 12 months after the entry into force

High-risk systems will have more time to comply with the requirements as the obligations
concerning them will become applicable 36 months after the entry into force.

More on the EU’s digital measures

• Cryptocurrency dangers and the benefits of EU legislation
• Fighting cybercrime: new EU cybersecurity laws explained
• Boosting data sharing in the EU: what are the benefits?
• EU Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act
• Five ways the European Parliament wants to protect online gamers

Briefing
Artificial Intelligence Act
Q&A: artificial intelligence

EN Directorate General for Communication

European Parliament - Spokesperson: Jaume Duch Guillot
Contact: webmaster@europarl.eu
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